Undeserved
by Rumplefan
Summary: *On hiatus until after season 2* Alternate Golden Swan universe from 2x13 forward.
1. Chapter 1

Mr. Carlyle's performance last night gave me chills and I had no choice but to write this.

I have no idea about the true implications of last night's episode, but I certainly found glimpses of pre-Dark One Rumple.

Rated M for future chapters

* * *

The flight from Boston to New York City was definitely the least amount of time Emma had ever spent on a plane. Even so, the trip was unnerving. She waited for Gold to settle as the tension and fear emanating from him overwhelmed her. Henry downed his cinnamon rolls and then busied himself with a Manhattan visitor's guide she bought him in the gift shop.

Twenty minutes into the flight she softly laid her hand over Gold's, covering his injury. She desperately needed him to relax. His shoulders stayed stiff and his jaw didn't unclench as he turned his palm over into hers and grasped for her fingers. She was grateful Henry was too busy to notice as Gold tightly gripped her hand for the remainder of the flight.

...

"Whoa, this place is awesome!" Emma nodded in agreement as Henry explored the luxurious suite the two would be sharing. After checking out the bathroom and opening every drawer and door in the place, Henry finally climbed on top of the bed with his guidebook and resumed reading.

Emma looked at the wall her suite shared with Gold's and frowned. She quickly made the decision to get answers as she grabbed the ice bucket and room key. "Hey kid, I'm going to find ice and a vending machine. You want anything?"

He set the book down and looked at her, considering his answer as if she'd asked him something important. "Root beer and a Snickers bar. Oh, and Skittles."

Emma rolled her eyes as Henry continued her list.

Emma lightly tapped on his door, hoping Henry wouldn't hear. She waited briefly before trying again, this time pleading with the man she knew was on the other side. "Gold, please, we need to talk."

The door opened and he stared at her without a word. After a moment she gave up waiting for an invitation and pushed her way past him. She set the empty ice bucket on the writing desk and watched him close the door. He didn't respond with any of the snarky comments she would expect from him, just silence.

He looked down at the carpet next to her feet and then raised his eyes only high enough to stare at the ice bucket. For the first time since the day she met him, he refused to look at her face. Fear suddenly took ahold and she felt sick to her stomach.

"I thought maybe this was a fear of flying thing. It's not, is it?"

Gold quickly nodded before sitting at the edge of the bed, tossing his cane onto the mattress. His eyes still refused to meet hers.

Emma kept her hands flat against her body, determined not to show anger or fear. "Whatever this is, whatever happened, you need to tell me."  
Finally, he slowly raised his head until his eyes locked with hers. If she didn't know better, she would have thought he was a different man than the arrogant bastard she knew in Storybrooke. Emma found the silence was lasting entirely too long and opened her mouth to speak.

He beat her to it. "It's gone, Emma, I lost it."

"Lost what? Your shawl is still around your neck. If you lost something on the plane or at the airport, we can-"

"My magic."  
She thought maybe she misheard him. She brought a hand to her face and lightly rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, as if she could will her brain to understand the situation.

She guiltily looked away as tears began to streak his cheeks. Emma was never comfortable around crying people, but this took awkward to another level. He quickly wiped the tears from his face and continued.

"The dark one is gone."

Emma's frown relaxed a bit. "Wait a minute, isn't that a good thing? Tomorrow you'll have your son back. You don't need magic anymore." She tried to give him a reassuring smile.

His eyes still held hers but the anger and arrogance she was so used to finding in them had vanished and been replaced with fear and uncertainty. "How am I supposed to protect my son without my magic? I've finally found him and he could be gone in an instant. What about Henry? How am I supposed to look after him?"

Her eyes widened a bit at the mention of her son. _That's funny; it wasn't too long ago you were threatening to kill him._ Knowing he would never have followed through with the threat she held her tongue.

She knelt down in front of him, resting on her knees and taking his hands in hers. As on the plane, the recoil she had anticipated never came. "Listen, Henry is _my_ responsibility. You and I have had more than a few disagreements, but you've also saved Henry more than once." She lifted a hand to his cheek. "I promise you, I will do the same for you. I will protect your son."


	2. Chapter 2

If Rumple lost his magic when he left Storybrooke, would Emma lose hers as well? Not in this story : )

* * *

"I promise you, I will do the same for you. I will protect your son."

His eyes searched hers for any indication she wasn't being truthful. He found nothing but sincerity. He opened his mouth and then closed it again, gaping at her, unsure of where to begin.

"And you." Her gaze drifted down to their hands as she whispered her promise. She could feel the heat on her cheeks. She had forgotten the true nature of the man to whom she was speaking and this was the point where he would start laughing, chiding her for being so foolish. Instead, one of his hands left hers and his fingers lightly guided her eyes back to his.

"Emma, any protection you may be offering is undeserved."

Perhaps it was her imagination but she could have sworn is accent had thickened significantly. She sighed a little as she considered his words and then the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. "Shouldn't that be my decision?"

He pulled back from her completely, leaning back on the mattress in an attempt to put some distance between the two. "If you knew the things I've done." He didn't break eye contact, wanting her to know he was being truthful. "Pure evil."

A chill coursed through her at his words. She swallowed hard as she pushed herself up enough to cup his face with her shaky hands. "Was it you or him?"

It would have been so easy for him to lie and place all of the blame elsewhere. He could have told her that he was tricked; he didn't know what the consequences were going to be. It wasn't his fault – kings, queens, fairies, maids, pirates, chivalrous fiancés, soldiers, Bae, Belle, countless others. He had been possessed. Ultimately, honesty won out.

"A little of both, I suppose."

It was his turn to wait for the recoil. The disgust, contempt, and anger, all of which he was certain would be directed at him. She would scream at him for a bit and then leave him to find his son on his own.

Only, she wasn't doing any of those things.

She was pulling herself closer to him and before he could ask what she was going to do to him, she slid a hand around his neck and brought her lips to his.

He was absolutely frozen as her soft lips sought a response. He gave her none. She ended the kiss suddenly, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Gold, I'm so sorry."

She started to rise but was stopped by his fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist. He pulled her back down and into his arms. His hand found the back of her head and held her to his shoulder. Uncomfortable was a bit of an understatement as he was holding her entirely too firmly and with the pain he was causing, he may as well have been trying to yank out her hair. If anything could shut Emma down faster than someone crying, it was someone hugging her. She stayed still against him, staring at the wall, allowing him a moment. From her perspective, it was a very long moment.

She finally broke away from him and shakily rose to her feet. She hesitated before leaving.

Turning back, she grabbed his injured hand. His brown eyes watched her intently, unsure of what she was doing. Her eyes snapped shut and her brows furrowed in concentration. He watched, mesmerized, as a mist of blue caressed his hand and then vanished along with his scrapes.

A small smile graced her lips as she examined her work. The smile quickly turned into a smirk. "See, I told you it would be okay."

…

Emma's hand lingered on the door knob as she leaned back against the door. "Please tell me I did not just kiss him."

"Kiss who?"

_Shit._ She definitely had not planned on sharing that bit of information with her son. Now he was staring at her with wide, curious eyes.

"Um, nobody. There was just this guy…I accidently… I mean his mouth…" She finally gave up and put an end to the stammering, hoping he would forget about it after she bribed him with –

"Where's my root beer and candy? And the ice?"

She looked down at her empty hands and had to hold her mouth to keep from giggling. "There was a problem with the…thing. I'm sure it's fixed now. Don't move until I get back." She quickly left the room again before he had time to grill her.

Emma stepped into the hall at the exact time Gold was doing the same.

He gave her a smile and held out the ice bucket. "I thought you could use this, Ms. Swan."

She reached for the bucket while studying his face. Clear eyes, perfect hair, straight tie, absolutely no indication that he'd been falling apart not ten minutes earlier.

Emma thanked him and watched as he disappeared behind his door. A thin rectangle in the bucket caught her eye. Her room key was safe in her back pocket; this one had to be his. She raised her hand to knock but hesitated.

_I thought you could use this, Ms. Swan._

He left his room not to give her an ice bucket, but an invitation.

* * *

_Chapter three will be will be posted before Sunday's show and will address the rumored Bae/Emma/Gold dynamic._

cat4444 - I assumed he lost his magic based on him not being able to heal his cuts at the airport but it's entirely possible I misread the scene.

Shizuku Tsukishima749 & BundyShoes - Thank you for your lovely comments and encouragement!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N –

Finished with 38 minutes until the show!

Thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, following, etc.

Spoilers for 2x13 & 2x14. The 2x14 spoilers are likely very small; I doubt the majority of this will be canon.

When writing from Emma's POV I referred to Bae/Neal as Neal and from Rumple/Gold's I used Bae.

In the extended preview, Gold calls in his favor from Emma. I thought her being with him was her end of the deal. Maybe there's a second deal?

* * *

Countless times he had walked a path from one side of the room to the other, leaning heavily on his cane. His stomach twisted into nervous knots when he thought about finding his son. He didn't know how events would unfold, only that there was very little chance of a happy reunion.

Every so often the pacing would stop as his gaze lingered on the door. He couldn't decide if it would be worse for it to open or stay closed. _I thought you could use this, Ms. Swan._ He cursed himself and briefly wondered if perhaps this was the start of a complete breakdown. There had been many times in his life, particularly in this land, when he had lost control of his emotions, but this was truly bordering on insanity. He was in this God-awful place to find his long lost son and a woman he cares for is lost, possibly forever.

Yes, what a better time to proposition a woman? A princess, no less. He groaned and resisted the urge to raise his cane and smash something. She had kissed him, but that was certainly a momentary lapse of good judgment on her part. A woman like Emma wouldn't have –

His thoughts came to a halt as he heard the electronic door lock disengage.

Emma quietly stepped into the room as the door clicked behind her. She set his key on the dresser. "I can't stay."

He silently nodded, waiting for her to turn and leave.

"I can't stay long, is what I meant."

He wondered why she was whispering, but that wasn't the question he chose to ask. "Why are you here, Emma?"

She advanced forward, invading his personal space, and didn't stop until there was only a foot or so between them. "I'm here to make a deal."

Old habits die hard and the corners of his mouth turned up. "I'm listening."

"I get two questions which you will answer completely and truthfully."

"In return?"

"I owe you another favor, just as before. You can call it in whenever you want."

He studied her face, trying to understand why she would agree to such a thing. He knew Emma well enough to know she had despised their original deal. She had hated not knowing when he would collect or what he would ask of her.

"We have a deal, Emma."

Emma moved away from him and sat on the bed, motioning for him to join her. She waited until he was seated next to her to start.

"Belle."

He sighed and looked away from her, already regretting agreeing to her request.

"What about her?"

"Is she really your true love?"

He pursed his lips and considered the question. "I love Belle, I will _always_ love Belle, but true love isn't as black and white as many people think. If we had unconditional true love, the kind your parents share, she would have broken my curse. Belle's love is for the man she wants me to be, not the man I am."

"Does-" Emma started to ask another question but stopped. She understood the deal and wouldn't waste her last question.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Is all of this…" She motioned between them. "Whatever this is, what I'm feeling, is this a manipulation? Did you plan this?"

He gave her a genuine smile, relieved. "No, Emma, whatever this is, I most certainly did not plan or manipulate the situation. I didn't expect it either." His voice softened at the last statement and he reached up to brush a strand of hair away from her face.

She must have believed him because once again, her lips found his. This time he responded, hungrily. One of her hands clutched at the shawl around his neck and the other found the back of his head, trying to bring him closer.

Pulling away, she gently pushed his shoulders onto the mattress.

He scooted to the center of the bed and watched her, awe struck, as she straddled his hips.

She leaned forward to resume kissing him, but he placed his hands on her shoulders, stopping her. "Emma, it's been-"

"A long time?" She smirked. "Yeah, me too."

His hands fell to her hips and as she captured his mouth.

He broke away from the kiss. "Emma, are you sure?"

She rolled her eyes. "Look, I don't have the slightest clue why, and I may end up regretting this, but I know what I want. Also, you're not my first bad boy either, so stop staring at me like you're about to deflower a virginal princess."

Her kisses moved to his neck as she began to unbutton his shirt, careful not to move his shawl. With each open button, she placed a small kiss on his bare skin.

Eventually she ran out of buttons and started to unbuckle his belt. He moaned as she unzipped his pants, freeing him.

The second her lips touched the tip of his arousal, he knew he wasn't going to last. Alarmed, he tried to pull her away.

She resisted. "We both need to sleep. We'll take it slow next time."

His smile returned as she continued kissing, licking, and sucking. _Next time_. He gently ran fingers through her hair, licking his lips as he marveled at her.

As he predicted, it was over quickly and as he came he fought to keep his eyes open and watch as she swallowed every last drop.

She stood from the bed, but leaned down to kiss him again. Her tongue found his and he noted the wonderful new taste.

He was asleep just minutes after she left the room.

...

"Look, that favor you owe me, this is it, get him to talk to me, I can't run."

...

"Emma, you found me!"

She barely had time to stand before was grabbing her, his lips on hers. She finally managed to push him[M1] away, her shock turning to anger.

"Neal, no, I'm not here for you. I'm looking for –"

"Baelfire!" She whipped around at Gold's voice and watched speechless as the scene unfolded in front of her. Gold and Henry were hurrying toward them and Neal rushed to meet them.

In a reaction nobody had anticipated, Neal wrapped his arms around his father. Emma could see Gold's tears but could hear none of what he was whispering in Neal's ear. Neal whispered something back and Gold smiled.

Breaking away from the hug, Neal placed a hand on Gold's shoulder. "You're here now, that's all that matters. And you brought me Emma."

Before Gold could respond, Henry stepped forward. "You two know each other?" He looked back and forth between his mother and Gold's son.

Emma's eyes found Gold's and she was somewhat relieved to find he was also startled and confused. If this had been a setup, a manipulation, or planned in anyway, she wouldn't be responsible for her actions against him.

Oblivious to the emotions of the two other adults, Neal stepped toward Henry. "Who might you be, Kid?"

"First, tell me how you know my mom."

Neal, stunned, turned his head to Emma.

Gold's gaze drifted back and forth between Emma and his son, Henry didn't take his eyes off of Neal, and Emma found a crack in the sidewalk at which she could stare and refused to look up at any of them.

The awkward silence was interrupted by a large group of people pushing their way past them.

Emma finally found the courage to speak. "We can't do this here."

"Mom, what is going on?"

"Kid, I promise I'll tell you everything, but we are not having this conversation in the middle of a Manhattan sidewalk."

Henry dropped his head, disappointed.

"Anyone else want ice cream?" All eyes turned to Neal. Henry whipped his head up at the suggestion, smiling.  
***

Emma handed Henry is cup of chocolate ice cream. Henry started toward the table where the other two were seated but Emma stopped him.

"We're going to sit outside while they talk. We need to talk about your father."

For the first time since his arrival to this world, Mr. Gold found he was unable to eat his ice cream. He lazily stirred the contents of the cup before abandoning the spoon and turning his focus to his son.

"Bae, where were you before this world."

Bae smiled. "Neverland."

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to face any of that alone."

Bae shrugged. "Neverland wasn't so bad. I found good friends, had a lot of fun, met my archenemy."

"You had an archenemy?" Gold was torn between being amused at the idea and angry at the thought of someone trying to bring his son harm.

"Yep. A pirate, if you can believe it."

Gold suddenly felt nauseous. He knew what was coming, what Bae was going to tell him, but he had to ask anyway. His voice was barely a whisper. "A pirate?"

Bae, apparently not very good at reading the emotions of others, continued smiling. "Captain Hook. I think that was more of a nickname because instead of a hand-"

"Yes, I know him."

Bae's head dropped. "I know. He talked about you."

Gold reached a hand across the table to lift Bae's chin. "What did he tell you?" Gold wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"Things about you and mom."

Gold felt his chest tighten. This would be it – his son would ask him if he killed Milah and he wouldn't be able to lie. Bae would never forgive him.

"What things?"

Bae shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

"Why?"

"Because I don't just forgive you for not coming with me, I forgive you for everything. I had to finally grow up when I got to this world and I realized you did all of it to protect me. You saved my life."

Relief washed over Gold as he turned his attention to his neglected ice cream.

Bae started to chuckle and Gold raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"I was just remembering, there was one thing he said which caused me to laugh in his smug face." He paused, laughing and shaking his head at the memory. "He said you weren't really my father."


	4. Chapter 4

Gold's spoon fell back into the dish which allowed some of the melted chocolate ice cream to drip down the side of the bowl. He took no notice of this as his mind was concentrating on all of the torturous ways he knew to kill a man. What little chance Hook had of survival before had vanished in that moment.

"He said what?" His words hissed through his clenched jaw.

"Look, obviously you know the guy, he's full of it. He'd say anything to get to me. He was probably tired of getting his ass kicked."

Bae kept smiling but Gold didn't relax. _I never loved you._ Milah's words came back to him and he felt his chest tighten. Had Hook been the first or were there others? Had he spent several lifetimes looking for another man's son?

Through his anger a moment of clarity struck suddenly. His rage transitioned to relief and he let out a hearty chuckle.

Bae looked around the room as if he was searching for the source of his father's laughter. "Something you'd like to share?"

Still grinning, Gold leaned forward and covered Bae's hand with his own. "Bae, do you know how I found you?"

Bae frowned and withdrew his hand. "Magic?" He said the word soft and with disgust, as if it were the most contemptible word he knew.

"Not just any magic, my boy, _my son_, but magic which required my blood." Gold gestured between the two of them. "Blood we share."

Bae smirked as if to say _I told you so_. Gold once again returned to his abandoned ice cream. Much of it had melted but he certainly didn't mind. His lips slowly scraped the chocolate off the spoon and then he flipped the spoon, running his tongue along the other side. He repeated the pattern with the next several bites, oblivious everything else, until he noticed her.

Emma was standing just behind the table. Their eyes locked and she immediately averted hers, her cheeks turning red. It was too late for poor Emma; he knew she had been watching him. The idea that a woman like Emma could look at him with such desire was something he couldn't understand. Not that he would complain.

Emma finally opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and then started again. "I have to take him back to our room." She jerked a thumb in the direction of Henry who was standing with his head down and his hands clasped together.

Gold nodded but Bae was on his feet instantly, grabbing her by the arm to stop her from leaving. "Emma, wait, we have to talk about this."

She broke free of his grasp and took a step back for distance. "I know, we will, just not now. I have to take care of him."

He nodded and watched as they both left.

...

"Henry, please tell me how I can make this up to you."

Telling Henry the truth about his father was not something she had planned until he was older. Their talk outside the ice cream shop hadn't gone as well as she hoped and now he wouldn't even look at her. She had believed it was better for him to not know the truth but now she was questioning whether she had been right.

Her pleas to Henry were interrupted by a knock on the door. Neal was standing there with two bottles of root beer and a giant shopping back. The bag was red with white F.A.O. branded in large, white letters. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Neal, this isn't a good time."

He stepped into the door frame so she couldn't shut him out. "Emma, I know we have a lot to talk about, but he's my kid. I've missed eleven years. Please, let me spend some time with him."

She shook her head, adamant that she was right. "No, no way."

He took a deep breath. "Please. Just a few hours and I promise we won't leave the room." He titled his head towards Gold's room. "He said to tell you if you can't trust me, trust him."

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Right now I don't trust either of you."

"Mom, please?" Emma turned to Henry who was now standing just a few feet away. "You said you wanted to make it up to me, this is how. Let him stay."

She sighed and dropped her arms, defeated. "Fine." She glared at Neal. "You have two hours."

It wasn't until the door closed and she was alone in the hallway that she realized all of her cards and cash were still in the room. She reluctantly turned her attention to _his_ door.

...

He only had the door open slightly before she pushed her way inside. Without a word she made her way to the sofa on the other side of the room and sat, angrily crossing her arms.

Looking back to the empty doorway, he held out an arm as if he were allowing someone entry. "Emma, please come in, make yourself comfortable." He turned to her and waited for a smile. Clearly, she wasn't amused as he was met with a glare.

He leaned heavily on his cane, unsure of what she expected of him. "Emma, if you want me to leave…"

"Sit." He wasn't used to obeying the orders of others, but he found her anger worrisome. His day had been so much better than he could ever have hoped and he now wished she could share in his good mood. He rested his cane on the small end table next to the sofa and did as she requested, silent and waiting for her to speak first.

"Tell me you didn't know." The anger was gone and he thought she sounded a bit desperate.

"I didn't know."

She sighed heavily but didn't seem to be any more relieved. "I know you didn't but I still needed to hear it."

The silence returned for several minutes until she reached behind her neck. "Do you know why I wear this?" She had unclasped her necklace and was holding it out to him.

Taking the necklace from her, he shook his head as he examined it. When admiring it from a distance, he had always assumed it was an expensive piece of jewelry. He realized he had been wrong as he could now tell it was just a cheap piece of metal, black marks covering it where the fake silver had been painted on it. He offered it back to her but she refused it.

"He gave that to me." She jerked her head towards her room. "I went to jail because of him, but this isn't about jail. I was a criminal, I deserved to be there and if he hadn't sent me, I would have gone eventually." She took a shaky breath and held her hand to her heart. "He broke me."

Gold wasn't sure he wanted to hear the rest of the story. He set the necklace on the table and reached out to clasp her hand. She didn't pull away.

"Anything my son did, whatever his actions, I am responsible."

She shook her head and yanked her hand from his. "No, you do not get to absolve him of responsibility. He was an _adult_. He made his own choices."

He swallowed and carefully chose his next words, not wanting to shut her down completely. "You've changed so how can you be sure he hasn't as well?"

She had no response and he watched as she closed her eyes and tears streaked her cheeks. He waited several minutes until she sighed and took the handkerchief he offered. With her eyes dry she gave him a small smile. "So, you're Henry's grandfather."

Unable to help himself, he began to chuckle as he nodded.

"I'm glad you're entertained." She rolled her eyes at him.

"If I could have chosen any child, from any world, to be my grandson, it would have been him."

Her smile grew as she beamed with pride. "He's a pretty great kid, huh?"

He reached over to caress her cheek. "My dear, he is remarkable."

She bit her bottom lip and looked to the carpet as if she were suddenly embarrassed. "Is it weird that I was jealous of my son's grandfather's ice cream?"

It was his turn to blush but before he could respond she was in his lap, her lips on his as she clutched the shawl around his neck.

One hand threaded through her hair and the other grabbed her ass, trying to pull him closer. He couldn't help but feel that maybe he should stop this, pull away from her and give her time to recover from her intense emotions. If she hadn't been so damned irresistible…

He ran his tongue over her teeth and then captured her bottom lip before turning his attention to her neck. She buried her head in his shoulder and rolled her hips against his.

Just as he had his hand under the hem of her shirt, her pants began vibrating, startling both.

She practically jumped from her lap and pulled the phone out of her pants.

"Emma, don't answer it."

"I have to, it's David."

He sat up straight as Emma answered. Worry took over. "Belle? Is she OK?"

Emma shook her head at him as she tried to listen to David. "It's not Belle."  
He relaxed, but not for long.

"David, give me a minute and I'll call you back." She set the phone down and rested her hands on Gold's knees as she once again kneeled before him. He immediately knew _something_ was wrong.

"What is it?"

She took a deep breath and quickly let it out. "You have a dagger in Storybrooke? You need to tell me where my parents can find it."

* * *

Notes:I could rant for a while about 214 but I'll just say – what the hell? As always, thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter was necessary to get them out of NYC and back to Storybrooke . I'm afraid it's short and stilted. I promise chapter 6 will make up for it. Thank you kindly to anyone sticking around for this and to all of my reviewers :)**

* * *

He pushed Emma's hands off of him causing her to fall back. She immediately jumped to her feet and watched as he angrily stalked across the room. Whipping around to face her, his shawl slipped off of one shoulder. He lifted the cane above his head and brought it down hard on the dresser, the sound was so loud she was certain there was now a visible crack from the abuse.

It took her a moment to realize he was sneering – _at her_. She bit her lower lip and before she could wonder about it too much, his ranting started.

"Women! You're all alike, aren't you? You think I'm a fool!" He took a few steps closer to her. "Did you really think this would work? You thought you could lure me out of Storybrooke, garner my trust, seduce me, and I would just hand over my dagger?"

Before Emma could respond, he gave a chuckle and grinned, baring his teeth to her, causing her to question his mental stability. He took a few more steps and she resisted the urge to step back.

"I've thought much about you, Miss Swan, but I never took you for a _whore_."

She bit her lip harder and clenched her fists. Any other situation and there would have been no stopping her.

"We don't have time for this. I didn't bring you here, _you _brought _me_. I didn't even know about this dagger until two minutes ago. As much as I'd love to stick around for more of your dramatics, my family is in danger and you are going to tell me, right now, where my parents can find your knife."

His entire demeanor changed instantly as realization struck. "Cora. It was her, she sent me here."

Emma nodded and stepped forward. "Where is it?"

He ignored her question. "Emma, I'm sorry." He repeated himself, each time she ignored him and took a step closer until she was a mere inches away from him. She could tell he was being sincere, but they could deal with that later.

"Gold, tell me right now, where is it?"

"The clock tower, behind one of the hands."

She hurriedly grabbed her phone and pushed past him, stopping only long enough to fix the shawl that hung haphazardly off his shoulder.

He continued to apologize as she left.

_Another time._

…...

Emma and Gold stood in the lobby of Neal's apartment, an awkward silence between them as Emma feigned interest in the bleak and bare walls.

She hadn't fought Neal's insistence that he join them in returning to Storybrooke as she assumed they could use all the help they could get. Neal had gone upstairs with Henry to _quickly_ pack a bag. It seemed to Emma that perhaps he didn't understand the concept of quick.

Emma was considering calling Neal when someone shoved her, hard. She unsuccessfully tried to grasp for a built-in ledge and fell to the floor, landing on her hip.

She pushed aside her confusion and looked up to see Hook standing over Gold. Out of habit, she reached for her gun, forgetting she had left it with David. Frantically, she grabbed the nearby umbrella basket. Dumping the umbrellas, she used all of her strength to heave it at Hook's head. He went down and she leaned down over him to remove his hook.

Hook stuck his hand into the front of her pants and pulled her down so she was straddling his stomach. He grinned suggestively. "Well, love, this is turning out to be a fantastic day. Why don't you-"

Emma's fist connecting with his jaw interrupted him. She winced from the pain and turned back to Gold. Crawling over to him, she tossed Hook's hook across the room and grabbed Gold's calf with one hand and his shoulder with the other. There was a noticeable absence of blood which she took as a good sign. Hook's hook hadn't done much damage. Before she could ask if he was okay, Neal returned with Henry and all hell broke lose.

Henry and Neal both seemed to have endless questions which they were asking at the same time. Gold was trying to talk, something about poison, and Hook was moaning and trying to stand. Emma's hands left Gold and she struggled to gain control of the situation. Nobody noticed her distress until she yelled.

"Everybody stop!"

Complete silence followed as they stared back at her. Hook, now on his knees, smiled again.

"Oh, Emma, I do love a woman who takes charge. Wouldn't you like to cuff me now? I seem to recall a conversation between us about you being jabbed with my sword."

Emma kicked him in the shoulder, not hard enough to do damage, but enough that he fell backwards and was once again on the floor. She stepped toward him, put her boot on his crotch, and pressed just enough for him to get the message.

"You know, for someone so cocky, you sure get your ass kicked a lot. Move again and it will be a long time before your sword jabs anybody."

She kept her boot in place and once again turned to Gold. "Are you okay? Should we call an ambulance?"

He shook his head. "Pointless. It's poison and it's spreading."

Emma gestured for Neal to join her.

"Make sure he doesn't get up so I can help your father."

Emma knelt in front of Gold and began unbuttoning his shirt. He grasped her wrist, stopping her progress.

"Let me help you. Magic can stop this, right?"

"Not your magic. It won't be enough."

His brown eyes bore into her and she couldn't tell if he was desperate, scared, both, or neither. Whatever it was, she wasn't going to sit back and watch him die. There had to be something she could do to stop this. "What about Storybrooke? Magic there could help, right?"

He shook his head again. "I'll be dead by the time we make it back."

She pulled her hand out of his grasp and stood. "No. I don't accept that. There is a way, we just need to -"

"Emma, look at this!"

Emma turned to Neal who had his foot on Hook's neck and was holding a folded paper. She squinted as she tried to identify it. "Is that a map?"

Neal nodded. "Somebody brought his ship to New York. I hope nobody here gets seasick."

* * *

**Hook is so much fun to write! He'll definitely be back for later chapters. I loved The Miller's Daughter so the next chapter skips to *after Cora's death. When Emma and Gold made their magic... .goodness. M rated magic making in the next chapter :) **


	6. Chapter 6

Emma shoved her hands into her coat and bounced on her toes. She wished she had thought to wear gloves. And a hat. Her car was parked a block away in an attempt to keep the rumor mill quiet. It was almost midnight so it wasn't likely anyone would notice, but she didn't want to take any chances. She could imagine the lecture David would give if he knew.

She knocked again, a bit louder than before, and moments later a light was shining through an upstairs window. _Last chance to run._

When the door finally opened, Emma was surprised by Gold's appearance. The black satin robe with navy pajamas peeking through the top was certainly expected, but not the red around his eyes. He held the door open for her, inviting her in without a word.

He closed the door and they stood just a few feet apart. Emma could feel his eyes on her as she studied his slippers. When she first made the decision to come talk to him, she had an entire speech rehearsed, knew exactly what she wanted to say. Now it was all lost.

"Why are you here, Emma?" The question was quiet and undemanding. It didn't help settle her nerves.

She finally met his gaze. "I can't…" _Function. _"I just need…" _You._ She sighed and frowned. This was definitely not what she had planned.

Before she could start again, he lightly tapped her arm. "Why don't you let me go first? I believe, once again, I owe you an apology."

"For what? Calling me a whore or turning my mother into a murderer?" _Shit._ She wished she could take it back. He looked away from her.

"Look, she made the right choice and she'll see it eventually. You already apologized for the other thing, I forgive you."

He turned to her again and didn't look any more relieved. "Emma, I don't know what you want from me." His voice sounded strained, as if poison was still spreading to his heart.

She swallowed her fears and stepped closer to him. Her shoulder touched his and her fingertips lightly pressed the inside of his hand. Half of her body was free from his, but it still felt incredibly intimate. She turned her head up and whispered, her lips brushing his ear.

"I didn't think I would ever feel anything as good as your lips on me until you showed me magic. I want more. Teach me."

She placed small kisses along his jawline until her lips found his. He opened his mouth to her and she pulled back almost immediately. Something had surged through her like a jolt or tingle. She couldn't put a name to it. It wasn't unpleasant, quite the opposite, she just hadn't expected it. Whatever it was, he obviously wasn't surprised.

His lips were turned up into a knowing smirk and Emma caught a glimpse of the mischievous man she knew before their trip.

"Two powerful people are bound to create a few sparks."

He pushed a few strands of hair out of her face and addressed her seriously. "Sparks are free. My knowledge comes with a price."

She expected no less. "Name it."

"Control."

She felt a chill and every instinct told her to turn and leave. Instead, she steeled herself. "Control of what?" She already knew.

"Everything. From the moment the deal is struck, I am in charge."

She waited several moments and then against her better judgment, she nodded in agreement. "Fine, we have a deal, _Master_."

Sadness filled his eyes once again, only for a moment. "Never address me by that name."

She hadn't intended it as anything other than a small joke. Obviously, there was a story and she wanted to know it. She wouldn't push it tonight.

Without a word he turned and walked away. It wasn't until he was on the stairs that she thought she should follow him. He led her up one flight and then another. He opened a door for her and she quickly realized it was _his_ room. _Why is his bedroom on the third floor?_ Another question for another time.

He came up behind her and began to remove her coat. She watched as he folded it over a chair in the corner of the room. He propped his cane against the wall and limped back to her. Brushing her hair back with one hand, he stepped behind her again and placed a kiss on her neck.

He whispered to her. "Emma, do you know why I haven't used magic on my injury?"

Not exactly pillow talk, but his breath on her neck caused her to lean back into him. Much to her dismay, he stepped back. She groaned. Apparently, he was determined to push the control issue as far as he could.

A hand wrapped around her elbow and he spun her to face him. He mustn't have been expecting an answer because he continued without one. "I did, once, and I lost myself. This limp is a reminder." He licked his lips and pulled her close to him. His lips hovered above her ear. "I want to forget."

His mouth caught hers and the spark returned. She grabbed his forearms and held tight, pressing herself as close as she could while his tongue explored her mouth. He ended the kiss and buried his head in her neck. "I want you to do it, Emma. Fix me, just this once, for tonight. I could do it myself, but I want you to do it. Imagine the things I could do to you, for you, if it wasn't for my leg."

She moaned loudly at the thought and tried to get closer to him. Her need grew and if he didn't do something about it soon, she felt something might explode inside her. _What the fuck is he doing to me?_ It took her a moment to find her voice. "Tell me what to do."

He stepped back enough to pull her sweater off and began kissing her bare shoulders. "Think back to the protection spell you cast. Why do you want this? Visualize my injury. There's no scar, no ugly wound, just bones that never healed properly. _Feel_ yourself fixing those bones. Remember _why_ you're doing it."

And she did. She tightened her grip on his arms and threw her head back as the magic washed over her once again. She would never be able to put words to the feeling. Once it was gone, it didn't take long for the need to return. She let go of his arms and gripped the lapel of his robe. "_Please_," she begged.

He was smiling and she didn't know if it was because his leg felt better or because he had her there in such a state. She didn't really care.

"Please, what, Emma?"

"Please, _fuck me_." She would have thought he would be dismayed at her choice of words and she had intended to shock him with them but instead he smiled fully and licked his lips again.

"As you wish, my dear." With a flick of his hand they were both naked. Enjoying his newfound agility, he pushed against her and moved both of them to the nearest wall.

His mouth was on one of her breasts, sucking gently, and his erection rubbed against a thigh. She reached down to touch him, but he caught her wrist and pinned it above her head. He did the same with her free hand so she couldn't touch him anywhere, at all. _Right. Control._

Her hips bucked against him. He smirked. "Is something wrong?"

She nodded and tried to free a wrist. He released one, allowing her to thread her fingers through his hair. His hand traveled between them and a finger rubbed the slit between her legs. He raised an eyebrow. "My, my, someone is certainly _wet_." Two fingers entered her and she gasped and gripped his hair. He didn't stroke her for long.

He released her hand from the wall and took a step back. His eyes roamed over her body and she knew in that moment he wanted this just as much. Her arms snaked around his neck and one at a time he pulled her legs around his waist. She was supported only by him and the wall.

She braced herself mentally, she was sure he was about to torture her. He would take his time, enter her slowly and then pull out, he wanted a game. _He's in control._ He proved her wrong.

He entered her fully. Her nails dug into his back and she cried out. It was all pleasure and not a bit of pain. The sparks from kissing him were miniscule compared to what she was feeling in that moment. He rocked her against the wall with short, hard thrusts. His mouth alternated between giving attention to her shoulder, neck, and ear.

She was close to coming and she almost couldn't believe it. She'd only ever done that on her own, pleasuring herself, no man had made her come before. It wouldn't take much more, as long as he didn't stop.

As if he could read her mind, he was whispering in her ear again. "Come for me, Emma." He didn't stop kissing her, pumping into her, his cock stroking her in _just the right spot_. She came. Hard. Her walls clamped around him, her toes curled, and she could feel it through her entire body. Until that moment, she would have thought something so…could only happen in fictional, smutty, romance novels. This wasn't reality. Feeling so good wasn't meant for humans. She could only hope this time would be the first of many.

"Rumplestiltskin…" She didn't know how the name came out so smoothly, especially considering her condition, but it spurred him on. He moved harder and faster until he moaned her name and she felt him spill inside of her.

He held her against the wall, kissing her, exploring her mouth once again. He finally pulled out of her and she couldn't help but feel disappointment at the loss.

He crooked a finger under her chin and guided her gaze to his. "I hope you weren't planning on sleeping tonight, my dear."

She smirked. "At your age? Are you sure?"

He placed a quick kiss on her lips. "Lucky for you, we have magic. How about some ice cream?"


End file.
